Expanding the Family
by krisjowin
Summary: Greg wants to add a pet to their household, but isn't very good with the words to ask.


I wrote this with the same Mycroft and Greg as in my WIP becuase i love you)last night in mind, but it's not at all necessary to read that one first. Thanks for reading!

* * *

"My?"  
Gregory had been oh-so obviously wanting to say something all day. Mycroft had enough experience with his partner by now that he knew to wait for the man to come to him. He used to ask what it was and that always caused it to be "nothing" or worse, he would be rather icily told to deduce what it was. And now that Mycroft was just fading into sleep, his partner was ready to speak. He tried not to respond with exasperation, but he was tired.

"Yes, Gregory?"

Greg tensed a bit, but remained half draped over Mycroft, nose poking through a gap in the buttons of Mycroft's pyjamas. Mycroft let his hand absently run up and down Gregory's back in an attempt to get him to relax again.

"I love you, Mycroft."

"Is it that bad?" Mycroft tried to mask the fluttering of anxiety he felt.

"The correct response would have been 'I love you too, Gregory'."

"You're right, of course. I apologise. Gregory, I love you."

Greg lifted himself off Mycroft and rewarded him with a grin and a quick kiss before snuggling back into him, this time his head on Mycroft's shoulder and one hand slipped inside his shirt resting over his heart.

"It's nothing bad, Mycroft."  
"What is it, then?"  
"Have you ever thought about… expanding our family?"  
"You want us to adopt Sherlock."

Greg's whole body shook with laughter.

"Sherlock is already part of our family. That would just be rearranging, not expanding! Now answer, please?" He punctuated the question with a sharp nip to the collarbone.

"I want to do whatever makes you happy."  
"You not avoiding the question would make me happy."

Mycroft was unusually hesitant in his response. "I have thought about it, yes..." Greg waited patiently for him to continue, but there was nothing more so Greg pressed on.

"We both have tomorrow off, so we could at least go see what's available for adoption. And if there's one we like we can take it home and then I won't be alone while you're away saving the world next week."  
"Gregory, you are under the impression that I wield a great deal more power than I do, in fact. Even I cannot expedite the adoption so much that we can have the child home before I leave."

Greg was in stitches again.

"Cor My! I'm not asking to adopt a _baby_!"

Mycroft was completely confused now. What else could Gregory have possibly meant by 'expanding our family'? Polyandry? He prayed not. No, he reminded himself that Gregory definitely had said 'adopt'. One did not adopt another husband.

"Then what _are_ you asking to adopt?"  
"A pet! I'd love a dog, but a cat would work out better what with our schedules and all."

Mycroft was silent for what felt like forever. Greg would have been scared that he had managed to ruin their relationship if he hadn't had the comfort of Mycroft's hand tracing his spine. When he finally spoke it was just an "oh" and Greg worried that maybe Mycroft's touch didn't really indicate anything about the ruination Greg had surely caused just because he thought it might be nice to have the house less empty.

"Is that okay? Have you ever had a pet? Are you allergic? I'm sorry for asking, never mind, pretend I didn't. You can go back to sleep." He curled tighter against Mycroft.

"Shhhh. Breathe." Mycroft kept his voice soft. "We never had pets, but my grandfather kept dogs on his property. I was always wary of them so I did not interact with them. I am not, to my knowledge, allergic to any animals commonly domesticated as pets. Please do not apologise, I would like you to be comfortable asking for anything you desire. I will not pretend that you did not bring this up, because I think that the idea has merit. I know that you get lonely when I'm gone and I would feel better knowing that you were happier."

"Really?"  
"Yes, we'll go look tomorrow."  
"Thank you, My, I love you."  
"And I, you. Go to sleep."  
"G'night."

The next day Mycroft was carrying in four sacks full of kitten paraphernalia. They had purchased the expected litter box and litter and food and bowls. Mycroft was ready to leave the shop after they had collected those. Greg corrected him with an apologetic smile and led him to scratching posts and cat toys and collars with little bells on them. He tried to convince Mycroft to get a harness and leash, but Mycroft protested. "Gregory, you said he would be part of our family. I'm not putting a member of my family in that ridiculous garment." Greg agreed that it was a little silly to think about taking a cat on a walk, but he was getting more excited the more cat supplies he saw and he wanted to make sure that their new _family member_ would have everything it needed.

While Mycroft struggled to carry all of the cat _things_ into their cat's new home, Greg carried the cat carrier. They had looked at dozens of cats and kittens and they had all blended together in Mycroft's memory. They were all smallish and furry and he had hoped that Gregory would just choose one so that they could leave. The mewing was giving him a headache. Finally Greg found the one that he declared perfect. It was tiny—barely old enough to be adopted—and had sleek all black fur. Mycroft was certain that they had seen at minimum four other kittens that were identical, but if Greg said this one was perfect, it was.

Greg hurried to set up everything and let the kitten out. He explored the front room where Greg and Mycroft were sitting, then explored his new owners. Mycroft suppressed his surprise at the kitten curling up in his lap.

"He needs a name, Mycroft."  
"He has a name."  
"We can't leave it. This cat is not a 'George'. Whoever gave him that name is completely daft."  
"That's probably true."  
"And besides 'George Holmes' sounds ridiculous on anyone."  
"We could have a relative with that name, Gregory."  
"We could not! All the names are old and funny sounding like _Mycroft_."

Mycroft swatted Greg's leg, but didn't deny the charge.  
"How about Suetonius?"  
"Named after some uncle?"  
"No, named after some historian."  
"Can I call him Tony?"  
"No."  
"I'm going to anyway."  
"I know."  
Greg grinned and leaned over their now purring kitten to kiss Mycroft.  
"It's perfect."


End file.
